A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a medication illustrator, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a personalizable display for identifying actual pill samples and indicating associated information so as to visually correlate the actual pill samples with the associated information.
B. Description of the Prior Art
When a person is ill, that person can take a lot of different medications on a daily basis. Some medications can be taken once a day, while other medications can be taken two or three times a day. When the doctor takes a patient off a certain medication, there is no way to know which pill to take out of the weekly organizing dispenser without going through every bottle. To make matters worse, the pharmacy frequently changes drug manufacturers so that the pill in the bottle might not match the pill in the weekly organizing dispenser.
Thus, there exists a need for a personalizable display for identifying actual pill samples and indicating associated information so as to visually correlate the actual pill samples with the associated information.
Numerous innovations for medication organizers have been provided in the prior art, which will be described below in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, nevertheless, they differ from the present invention in that they do not teach a personalizable display for identifying actual pill samples and indicating associated information so as to visually correlate the actual pill samples with the associated information.
(1) U.S. Pat. No. Des. 337,046 to Fuller et al.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 337,046—issued to Fuller et al. on Jul. 6, 1993 in U.S. class D9 and subclass 732—teaches te ornamental design for a pill organizer calendar.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,258 to Daneshvar.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,258—issued to Daneshvar on Dec. 13, 1994 in U.S. class 206 and subclass 534—a pill sample illustrator having two rectangular and transparent plastic sheets that come together to enclose pill samples, and a medical chart. These sheets provide a single row of individual pill sample receiving spaces for the pill samples along one side of the illustrator and a larger adjacent space for the medical chart. The medical chart contains bands extending from the pill sample receiving spaces to the opposite side of the illustrator. Each band contains indicia for relating to a pill sample in a corresponding one of the pill receiving spaces. The pill sample illustrator also forms a lid for a box that contains supplies of the pills that are to be taken by a patient.
(3) United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0029156 to Girzaitis.
United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0029156—published to Girzaitis on Feb. 10, 2005 in U.S. class 206 and subclass 570—teaches a medication organizer system including an arrangement of day of the week containers, with each container divided into separate time of the day compartments. Each time of the day compartment has pictorial indicia that readily signifies a specific respective time of the day. A medication organized worksheet is provided with medication/pill identifying pictorial indicia and an imprinted grid that tracts the container and compartment arrangement. The grid has juxtaposed imprinted pictorial indicia corresponding to the compartment pictorial indicia. A sheet of adhesive backed peel-off numerals is provided, whereby a peeled-off numeral is adhered to the medication organizer worksheet juxtaposed to the grid and another peeled-off same numeral is adhered to the container for the specific medication. A medication organizer instruction sheet containing pictorials is provided to permit a layperson to readily use the medication organizer system.
(4) United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0045519 to Hirsch.
United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0045519—published to Hirsch on Mar. 3, 2005 in U.S. class 206 and subclass 534—teaches an organizer and divider for medications, which is contained within a single unit and configured for the convenience and safety of users who may have mental and physical handicaps in handling their health needs.
(5) United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0218152 to Simon.
United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0218152—published to Simon on Oct. 6, 2005 in U.S. class 221 and subclass 203—teaches a customizable container that is used with a method of filling, storing, and dispensing medication. The method employs a medication database, and analyzes medication storage requirements to determine a customized container size and configuration for an individual pill-user. Container preparation instructions are generated to computer-tailor the customized container based upon the determined needs of the individual pill-user. A pharmacist uses the container preparation instructions to organize medications in the proper dosage administration sequence in separate reconfigurable compartments of the pill pack container. The pill pack container is individually customized for each individual pill taker to organize, store, and dispense correctly a supply of pills of multiple types, sizes, and shapes for a predetermined time period.
(6) U.S. Pat. No. 7,200,071 to Brophy.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,200,071—issued to Brophy on Apr. 3, 2007 in U.S. class 368 and subclass 28—teaches a personal organization tool including an indicator and an analog display divided into areas representing days of the week to help people organize themselves and remind them of various events or activities. The tool may be used in cooperation with an apparatus for providing information. The tool is particularly useful for people with short-term memory loss who often experience difficulty in keeping track of when they are supposed to do something.
(7) U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,793 to McBain.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,793—issued to McBain on Jul. 10, 2007 in U.S. class 206 and subclass 534—teaches a multiple medication management system and method that enables patients and caregivers to accurately track medications on a compact chart. The system and method use a plurality of containers for storage of current medications, medications needing refills, and medications discontinued by a physician. Thus, patients and caregivers are able to efficiently and accurately track medications, including which medications need refilling. Furthermore, discontinued medications can be safely retained in case they are later prescribed again by a patient's physician.
(8) U.S. Pat. No. Des. 547,052 to Cooper.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 547,052—issued to Cooper on Jul. 24, 2007 in U.S. class D3 and subclass 203.3—teaches the ornamental design for a pill organizer.
(9) U.S. Pat. No. 7,661,530 to Hewitt.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,661,530—issued to Hewitt on Feb. 16, 2010 in U.S. class 206 and subclass 528—teaches a pill organizer assembly and an associated method of organizing and isolating multiple doses of pharmaceuticals using a pill organizer. The pill organizer includes a holding case. A plurality of partition walls extend between the side walls in the holding case. The partition walls define a plurality of compartments. A lid is provided that is selectively positionable into a closed position on the holding case. A plurality of removable receptacles are provided. A removable receptacle is disposed within each of the plurality of compartments. The lid creates a seal against each of the removable receptacles when the removable receptacles are within the plurality of compartments and the lid is in its closed position. The seal created by the lid isolates the contents of the removable receptacles until they are removed from the holding case.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for medication organizers have been provided in the prior art, which are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, nevertheless, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a personalizable display for identifying actual pill samples and indicating associated information so as to visually correlate the actual pill samples with the associated information.